Whittier, John Greenleaf, School
Why it's listed
Built in 1913 at 2600 Clearfield Street in Philadelphia, this three-story school was designed by Henry deCourcy Richards for the School District of Philadelphia and built by Cramp and Co. It is a reinforced concrete frame faced in brick, with terra cotta trim, and it follows the Classical Revival style. A center entrance surround is topped by an entablature, and decorative panels sit between the floors and below the cornice. Richards worked for the district from 1906 to 1918 and was responsible for the designs of forty-nine schools. Of the eight schools built on the same type 128 model in 1912-1914, this building is one of five included in the listing, along with the Edgar Allen Poe School. The school reflects the district's building program from the 1905 reorganization to World War I, which responded to Philadelphia's population growth from 1.3 million in 1900 to over 1.8 million in 1920. The building is regarded as warranting listing for its place in the history of education and school architecture in Philadelphia. A 1976 recreation facility at the rear does not seriously weaken its design integrity.
Significance in brief: The school is one of eight schools built in 1912-1914 on the same standard model, type 128, designed by Henry deCourcy Richards during his years with the School District. The nomination argues it represents the school building program carried out from the 1905 reorganization of the School Board to World War I, and reflects Richards's skill in giving variety to a single, expandable plan. Its integrity is described as sufficient for listing, with a 1976 recreation facility at the rear not seriously compromising the design.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 88002334, listed November 18, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2600 Clearfield St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | November 18, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002334 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1913 |
| Architect / builder | Henry deCourcy Richards (architect); Cramp and Co (builder) |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a school; the 1976 rear recreation addition is noted. |
| Acreage | 1.8 |
| Coordinates | 40.00226, -75.17383 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 88002334.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15229664
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.